​Today would have been iconic rap artist Tupac Shakur's 40th birthday. He was just 25 years old when he was shot and killed in Las Vegas in September of 1996.

To celebrate the rapper -- a fixture of the early '90s and one of the most talented emcees to ever live -- a group of artists will gather tonight in Atlanta to pay homage to his contributions to the genre.

There's been no official word on how this news will change tonight's event. Our guess is that it'll just make it all the more emotional a gathering. Among those paying tribute at tonight's benefit show: Dallas' Own Erykah Badu, who posted a video about her performance inspirations online yesterday. Check it out after the jump. The sentiments offered -- that when she performs, for "that moment when we become one thing, the whole thing worth it" -- are ones with which we imagine Shakur, in his more lucid moments, would've agreed.